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FIRST LOOK MIDDLE EAST
MARK BREAKSPEAR, SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER, DLC EVENTS THE SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER SHARES HOW DLC EVENTS IS DEALING WITH THE LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC.
The UAE events sector has been hit hard by the colossal loss in revenue caused by the pandemic. Originally, we thought the timing could have been worse; although we lost the end of what was a successful events season for most, we were not so far away from the quiet summer months where all of us budget for little to no turnover for two or three months anyway. Things will be back to normal by September, we thought… However, the bleak reality is that COVID-19 has taken and continues to take a large bite out of the 20/21 season, as we end the year with a greatly reduced calendar. Thankfully, some events are getting underway – albeit at a much slower rate than hoped – and we are heading in the right direction, thanks to the efforts of the UAE government and the dedication of the industry, but we are still a long way away from how our diaries looked in 2019 and pure survival is at the forefront of our new business model. Many have not made it this far and unfortunately there will be more casualties in the coming months, but at DLC Events, we have strived to keep our heads above water and feel that, as a team, we are stronger than ever. Staff morale has always been at the core of our business, as we feel our team’s attitude on site as well as in the office can be greatly affected by job satisfaction, empowerment, and a true sense of belonging. We have focused more on health and wellbeing during the quiet summer, converting part of our warehouse into a gym where we meet each morning before work to train, which has improved teamwork and mutual respect as well as the obvious health benefits. Positivity in general is important to us at DLC, and we always try to ensure that staff keep smiling and enjoying their time at work. We have regular company lunches and try to create a fun working environment – we even welcomed a few cats into the office recently, saving them from life on the streets and helping to provide some stress-relief for the team. We understand that when our schedule is overflowing, every one of the team pulls out all the stops to make our events happen flawlessly, often working long hours, evenings, and weekends without recognition from the attendees who benefit from our skills and experience. We have focused even more on ensuring they know that we will look after them when times are tough, like they look after us when times are good! We have the benefit of a manageable payroll to contend with, having always kept a core number of in-house staff and relying on freelance specialists when required. Everyone has voluntarily accepted a reduced salary temporarily because we understand that when the business benefits, we all do. As such, when the business needs our support, we make sacrifices. Employees were also given the option of extended unpaid leave, which some took to spend more time with their families in their home countries. I’m sure many of our industry colleagues with larger workforces did not have the same luxury but,
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